1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a device and method for controlling a floating structure of a solar power generating device, which can generate electricity from solar power of incident light while tracking the position of the sun in a state in which it floats on the water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a floating structure equipped with a solar power generating device is operated to be floatable in reservoir or lake.
In general, a solar power generation method directly converts solar power into electrical energy by a solar cell. Differently from a solar heat generation method for generating energy using heat energy of sunlight, the solar power generation method generates electrical energy directly from sunlight by the solar cell formed of semiconductors.
In detail, the conventional solar power generating device includes a floating structure that is floatable on the water, a solar cell module installed on the floating structure, having a plurality of solar cells connected to each other and converting sunlight energy incident from the sun into electrical energy, and a floating structure rotating unit rotating the floating structure along the solar orbit.
With this configuration, since electricity generation efficiency of the solar cell module depends upon an incidence angle of sunlight, it is necessary to appropriately rotate the floating structure using the floating structure rotating unit according to the seasonal time zone.
The floating structure rotating unit is operated to control its rotation by cross-linking a pair of power units installed on the ground to both edges of the floating structure using a pair of wires and unwinding and winding of the wires. Since unwinding and wound amounts of the pair of wires cannot be precisely measured, it is difficult to accurately control the rotation of the floating structure.
The water level of the reservoir or lake may be changed by environmental factors. Accordingly, tension may be applied to the wires of the floating structure rotating unit. If the tension applied the wires exceeds a tensile strength, the wires may be broken. Thus, a change in the water level of the reservoir or lake may impair stability of the floating structure.
A conventional solar power generating device is configured such that a post is inserted to stand at the center of a floating structure to guide up-down movement of the floating structure while minimizing vibration or shock of the floating structure due to water conditions and the post is firmly supported by a separate support unit.
Therefore, the floating structure can stably rotate about the post along a predetermined track of sunlight. In a case where the floating structure rotating unit is damaged due to a big wave or wind, a rotation restraining state is released, so that an incidence angle with respect to the solar cell module may not be controlled and solar power generation may not be stably operated.